There is relief in Israel and Germany about the release of more hostages – clouded, however, by concern for the approximately 200 people still kidnapped. Palestinians celebrate release of prisoners.
There was great joy on Sunday following the release of more hostages held by the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Only a diplomatic tug of war after a sudden delay by the terrorist organization made the release of a second group possible on Saturday evening. In return, Israel released another 39 Palestinian prisoners from prison. Similarly, a third group of hostages was expected to be released on Sunday as part of the ceasefire that lasted until Tuesday morning.
According to information from the news site “Ynet”, 13 Israeli hostages are to be released. It is therefore expected that this time there will also be US citizens among them. Family members should not be separated this time, as was the case with the second group the day before, Ynet reported, citing Israeli officials. Among the hostages released on Saturday was a nine-year-old Israeli-Irish girl who was initially thought to be dead.
On the streets of the Israeli-occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, the 39 Palestinian prisoners released on Saturday were greeted with cheers from crowds. Hamas flags were waved, as The Times of Israel reported.
More German dual nationals released
According to their families, the four Germans who were released on Saturday were a 67-year-old woman and her 38-year-old daughter and her children aged 3 and 8. “I’m thinking of them and of those who are still in the hands of Hamas. We are working with all our might to ensure that they too will soon be free,” wrote Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Sunday night on the X platform, formerly Twitter . Four German-Israelis were released on Friday as part of a group of 24 hostages.
However, the joy of the release was clouded by concern for the approximately 200 abductees who remained in captivity. The ceasefire that is currently ongoing is expected to last at least four days until Tuesday morning. According to the agreement between Israel and Hamas, a total of 50 Israeli hostages will initially be released during this time. In addition, 14 Thais and one Filipino citizen, among others, have already been released. An extension of the ceasefire to up to ten days and further releases should be possible, as the Gulf Emirate of Qatar, which is mediating in the conflict, announced.
The latest Gaza war was triggered by the worst massacre in Israel’s history, which terrorists from the Gaza Strip committed in Israel near the border on October 7th. More than 1,200 people were killed. Around 240 hostages were taken to Gaza, including several Germans.
Israel responded with massive airstrikes, a blockade of the Gaza Strip and began a ground offensive in late October. According to the Islamist Hamas, almost 15,000 people were killed. More than 36,000 were injured. The numbers cannot currently be independently verified.
Steinmeier expected in Israel
The two highest representatives of the German state – Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Bundestag President Bärbel Bas (SPD) – were expected in Israel on Sunday for a solidarity visit. In a video message, Steinmeier welcomed the releases and emphasized: “The path to ending the fight will and can only lead through the release of the hostages. All of the hostages!”
US President mediates in the struggle for hostages
When the second group of hostages was released, Hamas initially stopped the handover at the last minute on Saturday. The reason given by the terrorist organization was that, in its view, Israel had violated part of the hostage deal. Among other things, she accused Israel of not allowing sufficient aid deliveries to the northern part of the Gaza Strip. Israel rejected this and threatened to terminate the agreement.
US President Joe Biden then intervened personally on Saturday, as a spokeswoman for the US government’s National Security Council announced. The 81-year-old spoke on the phone with the Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. In the end, Hamas gave in after Qatar intervened late on Saturday evening.
Girl believed dead is released
As a result, after 50 days of captivity, a nine-year-old Israeli-Irish girl who was originally thought to be dead was released. “We cannot find words to describe our feelings after 50 difficult and complicated days. We are overjoyed to be able to hug Emily again,” said the family. Emily Hand had turned nine years old while she was being held hostage, which was celebrated with a party in Dublin a week and a half ago.
In an emotional TV interview, her father tearfully expressed his relief that she had not fallen into the hands of Hamas because that would have been “worse than death.” It was later said that his daughter might have been kidnapped as a hostage in the Gaza Strip. On Saturday evening she was free.
Palestinian prisoners celebrated
The Palestinian prisoners released in return were convicted or charged with terrorist offenses, said Israeli army spokesman Doron Spielman. The fact that the freed people were celebrated under the flags of Hamas shows what kind of people they are. “It’s a shame that we release them.” According to Palestinian media, there are six women and 33 male youths under the age of 19.
On Saturday evening, dozens waited outside a prison north of Jerusalem to be released. According to Palestinian reports, Israeli soldiers used tear gas and rubber bullets against those waiting. According to paramedics, four people were injured. According to the Times of Israel, among those released is a 38-year-old who exploded a gas bottle in her car at a checkpoint in the West Bank in 2015, injuring a police officer.
Qatar hopes to extend the ceasefire
Qatar hopes that the momentum created by the releases and the ceasefire will make it possible to “extend the ceasefire beyond these four days and thus hold more serious discussions about the remaining hostages,” Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed said Al-Ansari, the US television channel CNN.